CONTROVERSIES IN THE WORLD OF CONTEMPORARY ART

Deadline: Jan. 9, 2013, midnight

[text=center]CONTROVERSIES IN THE WORLD OF CONTEMPORARY ARTcARTclab-ONLINE COURSE-[/text]

Have we ever felt that we simply do not get how it is possible for an artist to earn millions of dollars with the kind of art s/he is making? That we do not understand how a rotting shark in a fishtank can sell for 12 million dollars? Who decides and makes possible the creation of artist superstars, whereas equally talented practitioners struggle to survive? How come that museums offering 'cheap' exhibitions become a brand, whereas serious institutions have to close down? How is it possible that at the time of economic recession the world of art keeps on making more and more money? What are the mechanisms behind these facts?

The lecture series aims to take the participants to the backstage of the art world and reveal the - often dubious - mechanisms behind the financial, institutional and artistic practices in the world of contemporary art. The lectures focus on three aspects of the art world that are active and influential agents, namely art theory, art museums and the art market. Contemporary art theories that are created to define what a good work of art is contradict one another. Institutions follow art critics because they believe in quality representation, following promotional strategies they are also bound by market forces, becasue they have to survive financially. Art market, guided by branded dealers who rely on personal taste and the show-value of the artwork, creates artist superstars who cannot be ignored neither by museums nor by art criticism. The interplay of these three spheres are explored in order to reveal how slippery the ground is behind success in the art world. week 1 Art theoryweek 2 Museumsweek 3 Art markets